What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 23:19? Do not charge God’s straightforward command leaves no wiggle room: “You must not charge…” (Deuteronomy 23:19). He is safeguarding His people from exploiting one another. • Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:35–37 echo the same prohibition, showing this has always been part of the Lord’s covenant ethic. • Psalm 15:5 lists the refusal to take interest as a hallmark of the righteous. • By framing the verse negatively (“Do not…”), Scripture stresses that any alternative—however small—crosses a clear moral line. Your brother The focus is family-wide compassion, starting with fellow covenant members. • Israel was a nation of kin; charging interest would fracture that unity (Nehemiah 5:7–11). • In the church age, the term enlarges to all believers (Galatians 6:10; Acts 4:32), reminding us that spiritual family deserves special care. • Treating one another as siblings reflects the Father’s generous character (1 John 3:17). Interest Interest (usury) here means any gain added to the repayment. • Ezekiel 18:8, 17 describes refusing interest as a marker of righteousness. • Proverbs 28:8 warns that profit from interest will eventually benefit the poor—God overturns unjust gain. • Jesus affirms the spirit of the law by urging generosity without expectation of return (Luke 6:34–35). On money Financial loans are the most obvious context. • Lending was often a lifeline in an agrarian economy; charging extra in someone’s hardship multiplied their burden (Proverbs 22:22–23). • The principle survives today when a believer in need asks for help—aid is given, not monetized. Food The command moves from cash to daily necessities, refusing to monetize hunger. • Matthew 6:11 reminds us that bread is a gift from God; it should never become a tool of leverage. • James 2:15–16 condemns blessing words without tangible help; here God forbids turning help into profit. Or any other type of loan The sweep is comprehensive—tools, seed, garments, anything. • Leviticus 19:18 calls for loving a neighbor “as yourself,” which forbids profiting from another’s desperation. • Matthew 5:42 urges, “Give to the one who asks you,” reinforcing a lifestyle of open-handed generosity. • Lending itself is not outlawed (cf. Matthew 25:27); exploiting the borrower is. Summary Deuteronomy 23:19 calls God’s people to a family-first generosity that refuses to profit from another believer’s need—whether in cash, groceries, or goods. By banning interest, the Lord protects relationships, mirrors His own grace, and cultivates a community where love outranks gain. |
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